Title:Marxist Theory Associated with Teacher Unionism
Submitted by: Darrin Porcher
Alternate Names:
Central Tenets:
In 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles collaborated to create the Das Kapital, which depicted the struggles between bourgeoisie and proletarians within society. Marxism was a political philosophy and economic world view based upon a materialist interpretation of history and social change. Marxism gave birth to unionization based on the fears associated with bargaining between management and the labor force. Education is a part of social change. Therefore, the struggles of society were absorbed by educators as well.
Marxism stated that the conflict between labor and management is constant and can only amount to revolution. Marxism was unable to forecast the future and could not predict the later acceptance of collective bargaining. Collective bargaining afforded management and labor equal protections. Therefore, the aspect of revolution diminished within the workforce. In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed and the new Russian state ceased to identify itself with Marxism. Other nations around the world followed suit. Since then, radical Marxism or Communism has generally ceased to be a prominent political force in global politics, and has largely been replaced by more moderate versions of democratic socialism or, more commonly, by neoliberal capitalism. Marxism has also had to engage with the rise in the environmental movement. A merging of Marxism, socialism, ecology and environmentalism has been achieved, and is often referred to as Eco-socialism.
Traditionally, teachers fear exploitation by management and the executive leadership within the field of education. The executive branch of education fears a stagnation of production by the faculty. Teachers adopted unionism and collective bargaining because they were experiencing economic stress which causes schools to cut costs, and teachers wanted to prevent layoffs. Unionization within the field of education is forever expanding, and the teachers’ unions have become a powerful and influential entity in education, dedicated to collective bargaining, rather than to revolution to achieve their goals for the teacher members.
References:
Closson, D. (2006). The National Education Association, Retrieved November 7, 2007, from Probe Ministries at www.probe.org
Conley, D.T. (Ed.). (2003). Understanding university success: A report from standards for success, a project of the American Association of American Universities and the Pew Charitable trusts, Eugene: Center for Educational Policy Research, University of Oregon.
Cooper, B.S. (1998). Merging America’s teacher’s unions. American Education Annual – 1998. New York: Gale Press.
Cooper, B.S., & Liotta, M. (2001). Urban teachers’ unions face their future: the dilemmas of organizational maturity. Education and Urban Society, 34(1), 101-118.
Cooper, B. S., Cibulka, J., & Fusarelli, B. (2008). Handbook on education politics and policy. Mahway, NJ: Routledge.
Cooper, B. S., & Sureau, J. (2008). Teacher unions and the politics of fear in labor relations. In Educational Policy22 (1) (pp. 86-105). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Publishing.
Cresswell, A. S. (1993). Greece Central School District: Stepping back from the brink. In C.T. Kerchner & J. E. Koppich (Eds.), A union of professionals: Labor relations and educational reform (pp. 79-97). New York: Teachers College Press.
Etzioni, A. (1969). The semi-professions and their organization. New York: Free Press.
Fine, S. (1969). Sit-down: The General Motors strike of 1936-1937, Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Fusarelli, L. D., & Cooper, B. S. (1999). Why the NEA and AFT sought to merge – and failed. School Business Affairs, 65 (4), 33-38.
Kelso, L. (2007). Karl Marx: The almost capitalist: Critique of Karl Mars’s das capital. Washington. DC: Center for Economic and Social Justice.
Keppler, J. (1994). Monopolistic competition theory: Origins, results, and implications. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Kerchner, C.T., & Cooper, B.S. (2003). “Ravening tigers” under siege: Teacher union legitimacy and instructional turmoil. Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. 102(1), 219-248.
Marx, K. (1887). The communist manifesto (S. Moore & F. Engels. Trans.) Moscow: Progress Publishers. Retrieved December 1, 2009, from http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm.
McLellan, D. (2007). Marxism after Marx. Basingstoke England: Palgrave MacMillan.
Shanker, A.L. (1976). Why teachers need the right to strike. In A.M. Cresswell & M.J. Murphy (Eds.) Education and collective bargaining: Readings in policy and research (pp. 357-362). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan.
Submitted by: Darrin Porcher
Alternate Names:
Central Tenets:
In 1848, Karl Marx and Friedrich Engles collaborated to create the Das Kapital, which depicted the struggles between bourgeoisie and proletarians within society. Marxism was a political philosophy and economic world view based upon a materialist interpretation of history and social change. Marxism gave birth to unionization based on the fears associated with bargaining between management and the labor force. Education is a part of social change. Therefore, the struggles of society were absorbed by educators as well.
Marxism stated that the conflict between labor and management is constant and can only amount to revolution. Marxism was unable to forecast the future and could not predict the later acceptance of collective bargaining. Collective bargaining afforded management and labor equal protections. Therefore, the aspect of revolution diminished within the workforce. In 1991, the Soviet Union collapsed and the new Russian state ceased to identify itself with Marxism. Other nations around the world followed suit. Since then, radical Marxism or Communism has generally ceased to be a prominent political force in global politics, and has largely been replaced by more moderate versions of democratic socialism or, more commonly, by neoliberal capitalism. Marxism has also had to engage with the rise in the environmental movement. A merging of Marxism, socialism, ecology and environmentalism has been achieved, and is often referred to as Eco-socialism.
Traditionally, teachers fear exploitation by management and the executive leadership within the field of education. The executive branch of education fears a stagnation of production by the faculty. Teachers adopted unionism and collective bargaining because they were experiencing economic stress which causes schools to cut costs, and teachers wanted to prevent layoffs. Unionization within the field of education is forever expanding, and the teachers’ unions have become a powerful and influential entity in education, dedicated to collective bargaining, rather than to revolution to achieve their goals for the teacher members.
References:
Closson, D. (2006). The National Education Association, Retrieved November 7, 2007, from Probe Ministries at www.probe.org
Conley, D.T. (Ed.). (2003). Understanding university success: A report from standards for success, a project of the American Association of American Universities and the Pew Charitable trusts, Eugene: Center for Educational Policy Research, University of Oregon.
Cooper, B.S. (1998). Merging America’s teacher’s unions. American Education Annual – 1998. New York: Gale Press.
Cooper, B.S., & Liotta, M. (2001). Urban teachers’ unions face their future: the dilemmas of organizational maturity. Education and Urban Society, 34(1), 101-118.
Cooper, B. S., Cibulka, J., & Fusarelli, B. (2008). Handbook on education politics and policy. Mahway, NJ: Routledge.
Cooper, B. S., & Sureau, J. (2008). Teacher unions and the politics of fear in labor relations. In Educational Policy 22 (1) (pp. 86-105). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Publishing.
Cresswell, A. S. (1993). Greece Central School District: Stepping back from the brink. In C.T. Kerchner & J. E. Koppich (Eds.), A union of professionals: Labor relations and educational reform (pp. 79-97). New York: Teachers College Press.
Etzioni, A. (1969). The semi-professions and their organization. New York: Free Press.
Fine, S. (1969). Sit-down: The General Motors strike of 1936-1937, Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press.
Fusarelli, L. D., & Cooper, B. S. (1999). Why the NEA and AFT sought to merge – and failed. School Business Affairs, 65 (4), 33-38.
Kelso, L. (2007). Karl Marx: The almost capitalist: Critique of Karl Mars’s das capital. Washington. DC: Center for Economic and Social Justice.
Keppler, J. (1994). Monopolistic competition theory: Origins, results, and implications. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Kerchner, C.T., & Cooper, B.S. (2003). “Ravening tigers” under siege: Teacher union legitimacy and instructional turmoil. Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education. 102(1), 219-248.
Marx, K. (1887). The communist manifesto (S. Moore & F. Engels. Trans.) Moscow: Progress Publishers. Retrieved December 1, 2009, from http://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1848/communist-manifesto/index.htm.
McLellan, D. (2007). Marxism after Marx. Basingstoke England: Palgrave MacMillan.
Shanker, A.L. (1976). Why teachers need the right to strike. In A.M. Cresswell & M.J. Murphy (Eds.) Education and collective bargaining: Readings in policy and research (pp. 357-362). Berkeley, CA: McCutchan.